China’s trade has reaccelerated sharply at the start of 2026, reaching USD 1.1 trillion in just two months (+21% YoY), with exports of USD 657 billion underpinning the rebound. The recovery is not cyclical or narrowly driven: it is anchored in industrial strength, with machinery and transport equipment alone accounting for roughly 46% of total trade and expanding at +28% YoY.

At the same time, growth is increasingly broad-based across partners, with strong gains across Asia, Europe and emerging markets helping offset a contraction in the U.S. (-15%). This combination of industrial depth and diversified demand signals a more resilient trade structure, where China’s external sector is less dependent on any single market and more firmly tied to its role as a global supplier of manufactured and transport goods.